The Millinium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson: "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" "The Girl Who Played With Fire" "The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest"

I first published this review on August 25, 2010

We read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo in The Book Club in July.  I immediately read the second The Girl Who Played With Fire then the third in the trilogy The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest.

I like books of espionage! These books kept me on the edge of  my seat.  Larsson lived a dangerous life and it is said he wrote these books to relax! He knew, since they were fiction he wouldn't get arrested for them. Not so about his personal life. Before his career as an author, he was known for his struggle against racism and fascism.  

In the '70's he lectured for Scotland Yard on right wing extremism.  In the '90's when eight people were killed in Sweden by neo-Nazis, he was the main force behind the founding of the Expo-Foundation - a group intended on exposing neo-Nazi activity in Sweden.

He met his lifelong companion, Eva Gabrielsson in the '70's and was with her until his death of a heart attack in 2004. He was with her for 32 years.

She was always afraid he would be murdered because of his political views and actions. They were often threatened and always lived looking over their shoulders. Not only did Larsson write exciting, nail biting, on the edge of your seat books, he also lived his life in this same way.

When Larsson started this series, he outlined 10 books. Before his death in November 2004 he finished three of them and was working on number four.  - Readers have raised the question whether Eva could finish the books since she worked with   Larsson on the first three but because they never married and he died without a will - according to Swedish law, his father and his brother inherited his wealth. Eva does have the laptop with the partly finished manuscript and she says she will not publish unless she is given the full rights to manage the novels in the Millennium Series.  However his father and brother have not been willing to meet this adjustment in Larsson's Estate.

I really enjoyed reading this trilogy. I would love to read more about Lisbeth Salander and  Mikael Blomkvest. 

The original Swedish title of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo was Men Who Hate Women.

The major themes of this trilogy are "His favorite targets are violence against women, the incompetence and cowardice of investigative journalists, the moral bankruptcy of big capital and the virulent strain of Nazism still festering away.. in  Swedish society." [wikpedia]  He further debates how responsible a criminal is for his/her crimes - and how much is blamed on ones upbringing or society.

Salander, the main character - after suffering every type of abuse possible in her young life holds everyone accountable for their actions. She's a misunderstood genius with many issues.

The first book has graphic physical abuse, all three books have violence and all three have language.

Some online reviews mention the degree of violence. If violence in books bothers you - don't read. The first book is more graphic than others.  However some reviews point out that the author was demonstrating how powerless Lisbeth was because of the brutality and violence and how she was an over comer - even if it was in her own way. - Which was more often than not, taking the law into her own hands.

It's always great to read books where the good guys win!

My Book Club friend Debra also wrote a review on these books. You can read hers H.E.R.E.

Stieg Larsson died in 2004 shortly after handing in the three manuscripts.